My BSc major at uni was geology, I liked volcanology and geochemistry the best. But I've since moved into microbiology for my masters project. It's kinda still got some geo in it though, I'm looking at the microbial diversity in an acid-sulfate geothermal pool. 3nodding

Geology can take you all sorts of places, and there's so many specialisations. Everyone should give it a go!

*raises hand* I've studied geology, relatively extensively, and used to be a member of a local geological society. I'm aiming for a career in archaeology, but geology and volcanology are still close to my heart.

I'm looking at the microbial diversity in an acid-sulfate geothermal pool. 3nodding

Care to elaborate? I'm interested.

I live in New Zealand and we have lots of active geothermal springs, I'm using DNA sequencing to look at the microbial ecology of Inferno Crater Lake. It has a really unique thermal cycle, over the course of a month it increases then decreases in temperature from 30 to 80 degrees celsius. It's also ph 2 so only acidophilic microbes can grow in it. I expect to see a change from bacterial species dominating the lower temperatures then archaea dominating the higher temperatures, and most of them will probably use sulfur as an energy source since there is butt tonnes of it in the water. smile

I'm looking at the microbial diversity in an acid-sulfate geothermal pool. 3nodding

Care to elaborate? I'm interested.

I live in New Zealand and we have lots of active geothermal springs, I'm using DNA sequencing to look at the microbial ecology of Inferno Crater Lake. It has a really unique thermal cycle, over the course of a month it increases then decreases in temperature from 30 to 80 degrees celsius. It's also ph 2 so only acidophilic microbes can grow in it. I expect to see a change from bacterial species dominating the lower temperatures then archaea dominating the higher temperatures, and most of them will probably use sulfur as an energy source since there is butt tonnes of it in the water. smile

I'm looking at the microbial diversity in an acid-sulfate geothermal pool. 3nodding

Care to elaborate? I'm interested.

I live in New Zealand and we have lots of active geothermal springs, I'm using DNA sequencing to look at the microbial ecology of Inferno Crater Lake. It has a really unique thermal cycle, over the course of a month it increases then decreases in temperature from 30 to 80 degrees celsius. It's also ph 2 so only acidophilic microbes can grow in it. I expect to see a change from bacterial species dominating the lower temperatures then archaea dominating the higher temperatures, and most of them will probably use sulfur as an energy source since there is butt tonnes of it in the water. smile

If things went perfectly what sort of results would you hope for?

I haven't really got any idea of what's in there since nobody has studied the system, so there isn't really a perfect result. I'm holding multiple hypotheses, any of them could be true! XD